Open Primaries

Monday, September 22, 2008

New York Independence Party State Chair "dictatorial way" gives John McCain endorsement

John McCain will be the "beneficiary" of the thug-like tactics of the State Chairman of the Independence Party of New York, Frank MacKay. MacKay has spent three years and thousands of dollars in an unsuccessful attempt to destroy the New York City operations of the party.

According to insider reports from Sunday's State Committee meeting in Albany, presidential candidate John McCain spent 7 minutes on the phone with the gathering accepting the endorsement.

The following statement was released yesterday by the New York City organizations' four county chairmen:

STATEMENT BY NEW YORK CITY COUNTY CHAIRS OF THE INDEPENDENCE PARTY ON THE ENDORSEMENT OF JOHN MCCAIN

"The Independence Party’s cross-endorsement of John McCain is one more step in the sham that the state party has become. The deal with McCain was made by one man, the State Chairman, Frank MacKay. Members of the State Committee, the body empowered to select a presidential nominee, were not informed or consulted about MacKay’s plan.

This dictatorial way of doing party business has become MacKay’s standard operating procedure. MacKay spent the last week trying to disrupt meetings of IP members who were democratically forming county committees in New York City, made up of 4,000 IP members. At this point, the New York City Independence Party is the only wing of the party with a genuine track record of independence and democratic participation.

MacKay has corrupted and virtually destroyed the State Party taking it from a vibrant, pro-democracy force for political reform to a corrupt manipulation of people’s genuine desire for change. If John McCain thinks that the State Independence Party is a symbol of independent thinking and activism, he is sadly mistaken."